Means for securing rails in place



patented web. 2n, 1922,

G. ROUSSEL.

MEANS FOR sEcuRlNG RAILS IN PLACE.

uw@ do APPLICATION FILED MOV. 28, 1921.

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unirse srares 'enterar eiseres.

GEORGIE ROUSSEL, OF. DONNER, LOUISIANA, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-FOURTH T0 ROBERT SIDNEY SALSMAN, 0F DONNER, LUISIANA.

MEANS FOR SECURING RAILS IN PLACE.

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application sied November es, ieai.

To all 'whom t may aoncem:

Be it known that I, GEORGE RoUssEL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Donner, in the parish of Terrebonne and State of Louisiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Meansl for Securing Rails in PlacegandI do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, anoil exact description of the invention, suchas will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appert'ains to make and use the s ame.

My present invention relates to improvements in means for securing railroad rails to wooden cross ties for the specialpurpose of preventing the fastening means from working loose, owing to Ithe vibrations and other strains to which the rails are subjected by the rolling stock passing over the same.

The usual practice is to drive the spike into the tie at each side of the rail, and to have 'one side of the head of the spike en-r gage the flange of the rail; but owing to the heavy pressure that is brought upon the lrails as the locomotive and cars pass ever the same, there is a tendency of the rails to' spring upwards after the wheels of the train pass over the roadbcd, with the result that the spikes gradually become loose and accidents are liable to occur. Moreover it is necessary to frequently inspect the roadbed in order to provide against accidents due to loose spikes.

According to my invention I provide an arrangement by which it is practically impossible for the spikes to pull out of the cross tie incident to the normal operation ot' the railroad. j

My invention comprises the combination with the rail of a rail plate supporting the same, spikes driven through elongated openings let't in said rail plate and provided with shoulders adapted to engage beneath the rail plate, and wedges which are driven into the cross tie and cause said shoulders to project into engagement beneath the wedge plate, the spikes and wedges being so arranged' that the spikes will be held against wearing loose and pulling out of the cross ties.

My invention will be more ful-ly understood after' reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like parts are indicated by similar reference symbols throughout the.

several views, and in which- Figure 1 shows a longitudinal section V siiecification of Letters raient.

Serial No. 518,39.

through a cross tie and a transverse section through the rail plate and yrail, with one of the spikes and wedges shown in elevation` and the other spike and wedge being shown partly in section, the parts being in the assembled relation as when in use.

Figure 2 is similar view tokFig. l, but shows one of the spikes after it has been driven down in the tie and just as the wedge is about to be inserted.

Fi re 3 is an elevation of the spike showing the flat back thereof.

Figure 4 is an elevation of the spike from the front and l showing the engaging shoulder; and A Figure 5 is a rea-r view of the wedge as detached from the apparatus. d

A represents a wooden cross tie preferably of the usual type. B represents a rail plate which is provided with elongated openings b there-in, adapted to receive the spike and the wedge, as will. be hereinafter described. The rail plate B is provided with a shoulder Zi at the inner edge of the slot b.

C represents the rail which is provided with the usual ianges c. D represents the spike which has a suitable head d, having the overhanging arm al adapted' to engage the ange of the rail, as shown in Figs. Vl and 2. The spike is also provided on one side with a shoulder (Z2, below the reduced portion d3, and the back of the spike is providcd with an inclined face d4 terminating in the projecting portion or hump d, below which hump the spike is tapered to a point as at de.

E is a wedge which, for convenience in driving, is provided with a head e, which may be shouldered as at e', and this wedge is tapered to a chisel point as at e2 for convenience in driving.

In operation the plate B and the rail C are mounted'on the cross tie as shown in Figs. l and 2, with the edge ofthe flange of the rail coinciding with the inner edge of the slot b, as shown in Fig. 2. The spike is now driven into the position shown in Fig. 2, passin freely through the elongated slot b until the shoulder b passes clear-of the inner'edge of the corresponding 4periorations The wedge E is now driven in, as shown in Figs. l and 2, and as the point e2 passes the hump d5 the chisel face e3 of this point' will cause the Wedge to bend, as at e, see Fig. l, and this will lock the wedge against Withdrawal Patenten rei. ai, ieee.

' drawal from the cross tie.

It has been found in .practice that with spikes as ordinarily constructed, the spike is apt to loosen in the tie and gradually wear away the surrounding wood, and ultimately shake loose; but by having the construction herein described the rail, the plate, the cross tie, the spike and the wedge. are all securely locked together against ordinary strains to which such apparatus is subjected. If it is desired to pull the spike, this may be done 'first by pulling out the wedge with a crowbar, or other suitable tool, and then pulling out the spike in the 'same way and finally removing the rail and the rail plate.

It will thus be seen that I provide a cheap, simple, durable and efficient fastening means which can be safely used to lock the rail and the rail plate to the tie. The apparatus is not liable to get out of order, or to be injured by weather, or other conditions ordinarily incident to the use of apparatus of the character described.

I do not mean to limit the shape of the spike or the wedge to the exact proportions shown, as these may be varied within limits, and other changes might be made without departing from the spirit of my invention; and I do not mean to limit the invention to such details except as particularly pointed out in the claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is l. In a rail fastening arrangement, the combination with a flanged rail and a rail plate mounted above a cross tie and supporting the rail, said rail plate being provided with a laterally elongated opening, of a spike having its body portion of somewhat less diameter than said opening and provided with a laterally projecting head, and with wedge faces forming a hump on the back thereof, the said spikehaving a reduced portion or channel beneath the head, with a. shoulder below said channel, the Width of said channel being sufiicient to engage the adjacent walls of the rail and of the opening, and a. metal wedgedriven into said opening in rear of said spike, filling said opening and causing said shoulder to project beneath the bottom of said plate, the. said wedge also passing below and bending beneath said hump, thereby locking said wedge and said spike both against accidental withdrawal.

2. In a rail fastening arrangement, the combination with a flanged rail and a rail plate mounted above a cross tie and supporting the rail, said rail plate being `provided with a laterally elongated opening, of a spike having its body portion of somewhat less diameter than said o ening and provided with a laterally projecting head, and with wedge faces forming a hump on the back thereof, the said spike having a reduced portion or channel beneath the head, with a shoulder below said channel, the width of said channel being sufficient to engage the adjacent walls of the rail and of the opening. and a metal wedge provided with a chisel shaped point, the said wedge being adapted to be driven in rear of the spike. into said opening in the rail plate, the said wedge and spike filling said opening and causing said shoulder to project beneath the bottom of said plate, the said wedge being also adapted to pass below and project beneath said hump, thereby locking said wedge and said spike both against accidental Withdrawal, substantially as described.

GEORGE ROUSSEL. 

